


Pathways

by Sokorra



Category: Hart of Dixie
Genre: Baby Fic, Episode Tag, F/M, friendship and family - Freeform, season 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-21
Updated: 2016-01-21
Packaged: 2018-05-15 08:45:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5779207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sokorra/pseuds/Sokorra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A look into Wade's POV during the start of season 4 when he tries to figure out how to deal with his new situation as well as tell Zoe he really meant it when he said he was ready to try again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pathways

**Author's Note:**

> While trying to keep my new years goal of finishing things, I was making a catalog of the unfinished snip-its I had littered everywhere on my drives. I found this story, and it seemed relatively finished, so I decided to publish it. I believe this was supposed to be part of a multi-one shot series about Wade's POV during the show, but this was the only bit close to finished.
> 
> Dedicated to my sister who got me into this show in the first place.

After four years, Wade Kinsella wishes he could say he was an expert in deciphering the ways of Zoe Hart. But he couldn’t, especially as of late. They had been doing so well, sticking to friendship the last year, with their respective others. He had even made an effort to be friends with Joel. It had hurt at first seeing her with him, but Joel ended up being a pretty cool guy, so the friendship was solid despite the fact they had history with a woman between them. He wasn’t entirely sure Joel knew the whole story, but he apparently knew enough to know that Wade still had feelings for Zoe that night of his mother’s wedding.

And he had honestly had tried to make things work with Vivian. He had been happy, they had seemed good up until it turned out the guy with the history had an edge on the happily ever after. It took him awhile to forgive her for how she ended things, but he had come to terms with it. After all, it wasn’t like Vivian hadn’t had to deal with his baggage from Zoe.

But this whole week he was just plain confused. Zoe had tried to get him back for a whole month, trying to make him realize how good they would be together. It wasn’t that hard. He could still remember that when times were good they had been amazing together. It was the hard times he wasn’t so sure about.

But then, after their conversation on the deck of his gatehouse, there had been nothing. For two months she avoided him if possible. If not, she tried to keep her distance, and he couldn’t believe how much he missed her presence in his life. So he had made up his mind to meet her halfway.

Only she had changed direction. She no longer wanted them together. She was the one who thought nothing had worked. And as she said a lot could happen in eight weeks but seriously how much could have changed? She took five months to figure things out after he tried to have a second chance, he wasn’t allowed two?

Of course Lemon had a point. He could have avoided a lot if he had just come out with it instead of waiting till after she started sleeping with him again. Looking back he wasn’t sure what his plan had been, because that was exactly how things happened the last time. Him in love with her but hiding behind casual sex so he could have her without technically putting his heart on the line. And look how well that had turned out.

He had taken Lemon’s advice, apologized in a more formal manner, and finally got Zoe to have dinner with him only to have her storm out of the restaurant.

He had no idea what was wrong with her, but clearly he had missed his chance, and he was going to get drunk and make sure he forgot for a little while that he had even made the choice to try. George and Lavon appearance helped matters because he needed someone to rant to. Lavon was Zoe’s best friend and probably the best person to ask for advice on her style of crazy. George had been his best friend in the past, and also an object of Zoe’s affection so probably could talk him out of chasing her down and locking her in a room with him till she explained what was going on in the little head of hers.

 

He walked towards the gatehouse carrying the six pack of beer that he had managed to find in Lavon’s alcohol collection -the man needed to seriously restock - rubbing his face as it hit him how tired he was. And it was at that moment he saw her walking towards him.

“Zoe,” he started, not wanting to really get into anything with her right now. He was tired, possibly drunk, and a tad bit brokenhearted no matter what he told his friends. He didn’t have the strength to go ten rounds with her again.

“Wade,” she interrupted, clearly needing to say something. He just shrugged to allow her to continue. He might not want to talk, but if she wanted to tell him something he could stand and listen. “I’m sorry for walking out on dinner and I think you need to know to know the reason why.” He motioned for her to continue.

“I’m having your baby.” His first reaction was to laugh, although it would be a weird joke for Zoe to be playing. But he soon recognized the look on her face. She was serious. His brain short circuited at that point, leaving him with no response, but she quickly filled the silence.

“But that’s okay, because I’m doing this on my own and I don’t expect anything from you.” She walked around him, making her way back to the carriage house; while he stood there in shock from the double whammy he had just been given. He hardly noticed when the six pack slide out of his hand and onto the ground. He wiped his hand over his mouth, unsure what to think.

A baby. He walked without really paying attention to his door, opening it and going inside. George and Lavon were joking around and he barely heard George ask if he had brought the beer that now lay in the grass.

“Ah...I got some interesting news,” he stated, not quite looking at them, still trying to figure it out in his head. It seemed all garbled for some reason, which wasn’t surprising because Zoe had managed to make his thinking going garbled many times over the years. But this was different and apparently so did his friends because they became silent and looked up at him. “Zoe’s having a baby.”

“A baby!” George exclaimed, dropping his controller. Lavon followed with an “Oh my god” response.

He frowned at both at them. He couldn’t blame them for their shock. Both men had known Zoe longer he had (although only by a few hours and not in all the ways he could now claim). Zoe was not the type of person you’d expect to have an unexpected pregnancy. And Wade wasn’t even considering the idea that this wasn’t. First of all, Zoe wouldn’t do that to someone, and secondly even if he were to consider that possibility her facial expression when she said “She would do it alone” kind of sealed it.

He had to admit, now that the shock had settled and the news was starting to sink in that her “doing it alone” bit had hurt a little.

“You know, I always did think you’d be the first to have a kid.” George mused, apparently quick at accepting this new information. “Mostly, I admit, because I didn’t think Lemon would plan on having kids so early in our marriage. She’d have to pencil it in.”

“So you think because Lemon’s a planner, I’d end up having kids first?”

“Well, to be fair, you were a bit more relaxed in that particular area.” Wade couldn’t argue that. George had never been the casual dater. “At least the mother isn’t someone you couldn’t stand the morning after.”

“Well, she doesn’t want me involved.”

“What?” George and Lavon said at once, glancing at each other for a moment afterwards before returning their stares to Wade who still stood in front of the door.

“Apparently she is doing this on her own and doesn’t expect anything from me.” Wade hadn’t expected the hurt to come out in his voice like that.

“ _Expect_ is different than _doesn’t_ want you involved. Of course you’ll be involved.” Wade was grateful that George had such confidence in that. Wade was less sure of his fathering skills beyond the biological bits.

“I would expect nothing less from you, Wade.” Lavon’s tone held both the confidence that Wade would meet their expectations of him, and also a tad bit of warning if he decided to give up again.

“Of course I’m going to be a part of the kid’s life. I just have to convince Zoe that I can be.”

“Well, why are you still waiting here with us,” George interjected. “Go over there and talk to her.”

Bolstered by his friend’s confidence in him, Wade nodded and walked out of gatehouse and walked towards Zoe’s place.

 

~*~

 

“That did not go well.”

Wade wished he could argue with Lavon and George, but it did in fact go badly. It's like he couldn’t stop the junk that was rolling off his tongue, even as he saw Zoe’s facial expression that told him he was saying the opposite of whatever would make her understand that he was all in. For her, for their child, everything.

He rested his head on the counter. “Any advice?”

“Ah...” Lavon started, looking over at George. “Can’t say this is an area I have much experience with.”

“My limited experience was when Lemon had a pregnancy scare. Somehow I doubt that is going to be a similar situation.” George left out the fact that they had agreed to co-parent without getting back together. Wade wanted to co-parent as well as be together so it really was a different situation.

 

That and he doubted Zoe would appreciate being compared to Lemon Breeland. Or Vice-versa.

“You could always try asking her to dinner again. Although perhaps someplace a little less in public. Make her dinner or something.”

“That would require your kitchen.”

 

~*~

 

Wade was muttering to himself, still having not found a way to explain to Zoe what he meant. He cleared off the tables with half minded attention, since he hadn’t taken any of George and Lavon’s ideas. Somehow tricking her into seeing him as a patient (George’s idea which even he had admitted had been bad) seemed like it would put their relationship on bad footing once again.

“Hearing voices?” Wade turned around to see his father walking behind him. He looked pretty good, having finally gotten the cast off and was able to walk on his own again. “I’ve been there.”

“No,” He said, throwing the dish towel over his shoulder and sitting down. “Just thinking.”

“About what?” When Wade hesitated to answer, Earl continued. “You can tell your old man, come on.”

Wade considered making something up, but figured Earl would figure out soon enough. “Zoe’s pregnant.”

“I’m going to be a granddaddy?” Earl’s happiness at the thought made Wade smile a little bit. At least there was one person whose only reaction was outright happiness at the idea. “Grandpa Earl, or Gramps!” He shook his head at Earl’s almost pride at being called Grandpa. But then again, Earl had been calling Zoe his daughter-in-law for three years now.

Earl paused, having sensed that Wade wasn’t as overjoyed. “But I take it things aren’t too good between the two of you.”

“It’s just...I messed up so many times, Dad” he found himself saying. “I kept putting my damn foot in my mouth.”

“That is true,” Earl said, not even trying to disagree on his son’s behalf. Earl had long made it known how he felt about Wade giving up on Zoe.

“I can’t mess up again,” he continued, standing. “We’ve got a baby on the way. I have to do something, show her I’m serious this time.” What had worked before certainly wasn’t going to work again. Zoe had already, rightfully so, put their child before their relationship. Somehow he needed to show her he was going to be there, for their child and for her. She was the love of his life, time had certainly proved that, even if he was slightly slow at picking that fact up.

“I...I wish I knew how to help you, son.” Earl looked genuinely disappointed that he had no advice for Wade.

“I know Dad,” he said with a hand to his father’s shoulder as they both departed to go on their days. Both deep in thought about the situation at hand.

 

~*~

 

It was a few hours later and Wade was prepping the bar for the lunch hour when Earl came back in and motioned him to go to the side where they could talk alone. Wade raised an eyebrow but followed Earl over to the other end of the bar.

“I found your solution.” Earl said before presenting Wade with a red box that opened up. Wade blinked and then looked up at his father.

“Is that what I think it is?” He never expected to get his mom’s engagement ring. Always figured it would go to Jesse. Then again, he hadn’t exactly thought he was the marrying kind, and if you weren’t going to marry for keeps what was the point of it all?

“It is if you think it's your mother’s engagement ring.” The idea was insane, but even as he said as much out loud to his father, he couldn’t help but think on the idea of marrying Zoe. It didn’t have the same feeling of repulsion the idea had often given him; in fact he actually kind of liked the idea.

“You need a game changer,” Earl said in his defense. “I brought you one.” And it definitely would be a game changer, although he wasn’t sure if he or Zoe were ready for that big of a game changer on top of their already pretty big game changer. But he was already warming up to the idea. He took the ring box away from his father and looked at it. “Show that pretty Doctor you’re all in.”

Asking Zoe to marry him did not seem like a bad idea in the long run. They didn’t have to get married right away; people had long engagements all the time. And this would definitely say he was all in.

“Maybe,” he finally said with a small smile as he allowed himself to think about it. “Of course this wouldn’t be some way of proving you were right in calling her your daughter-in-law would it?” He joked. Earl just smiled.

“No, I don’t need anyone to prove that. I’ve always known she was the one for you. You were the stubborn one.”

 

“Hey, Zoe should get at least half the credit for being stubborn.”

 

~*~

He took the rest of the day to think about it. It wasn’t something to do lightly. Zoe had once said that she saw a future for them. He needed to find a way to convince her it was still there. If he was going to propose, he needed to do it right. Dinner, candles, on one knee.

There was the possibility she would say no. Zoe was surprising him alot lately. She seemed to consider the idea of the two of them together the other night, when he had asked her to dinner. Right up till he said they should go slow.

This certainly wasn't’ slow. But then when had they ever taken the slow route? hey had made out the first day they met in his car. Their whole relationship at first was just sex. They hadn’t figured out they loved each other till way down the line.

It wasn’t like they didn’t know each other. Three years of living across a pond from each other, with at least a third of that practically living together made sure they knew each other relatively well in fact. But he still wasn’t sure what she would answer.

So the next morning he rose early and waited for her outside the carriage house with a box of saltines.

  
~*~

 

He should have seen that coming. If the last dinner had gone poorly for them, why did he expect this one to go so spectacularly? He hung up his phone, and went to sit at the bar to think.

Zoe had found out about the proposal. He wasn’t sure how, but somehow she had. He knew it wasn’t Wanda since as far as Wanda knew he was still just trying to win Zoey’s heart back. This left him with Earl; who was the only one who knew about the ring. But Earl wouldn’t say anything. Besides; when would the two of them cross paths where that would be a topic that came up?

He didn’t really want to deal with putting away the dishes right at that moment. Even if he could convince Zoe to come home, she wouldn’t be home in time to eat what had been made anyway. He’d have to put it in the fridge and see if anyone wanted it tomorrow.

He had to admit it hurt a little that the idea of marrying him freaked her out so badly she ran away to New York. Did she really need to go states away?

Wait, if she was already at her mother’s, she had already flown there, plus packed, and traveling to and from airports. Which means she probably knew sometime around the time he asked her if the shrimp were okay for her to eat.  He reviewed in his mind who had been there.

Nadine?

 

~*~

 

“Wade.”  He looked up from where he had situated himself in the corner, able to watch Zoe who was still attending to guests. He had figured they could talk later, as clearly the party was for Zoe.  Although he was starting to see a theme with the guest.  Till now, anyway.  Joel as far as he knew had no connections to schools, daycare or pre-natal care.

“Joel.”  It was the first time the two men had been in the same space since Brando and Sylvie’s wedding.  They still emailed from time to time, so Wade knew the writer was happily involved with a fellow writer.  Still, there was an element of awkwardness.

“I heard congratulations are in order.”  Joel had a smile on his face, as if he was genuinely happy for Zoe and himself.  Wade wasn’t sure he could say he was ever the same.  Joel was a great guy, and a good friend, but that didn’t mean Wade didn’t have a few mean thoughts towards the man while he was dating Zoe.

“Thanks,” he said in response.  To be honest, he wasn’t sure who all Zoe had told.  He was getting the impression that everyone at the party knew that Zoe was having a baby, but the father wasn’t common knowledge. “How did you know?”

“It wasn’t that hard to put two and two together,” Joel responded, taking a sip of his drink. “If Zoe was going to have kids, I figured it would be with you.”  He shrugged.  “Of course, your announced arrival kind of sealed the deal.”

“Could have been George.”

“Hardly,” Joel said with a laugh. “I remember hearing all about George and expecting to feel uncomfortable around him, jealous a bit.  But every time I saw them together I saw nothing there.  Fondness, yes, perhaps some hints at past infatuation, but hardly what I would expect if she was going to run to George after what she did at Meatball’s wedding.”

“You never seemed bothered by me.”

“Of course I was. She never talked about you in New York.  I heard all about George and Lavon, and Lemon and Annabeth, and all kinds of people, but nothing about you till I got down there.  And then she introduced you as her neighbor, but with hesitation in her voice.  It was pretty obvious the two of you had been something more.”  He laughed a little.  “That’s why initially I tried to be friends with you.  Figured I’d see what I was up against.  Then you turned out to be a great guy, and honestly I’m not surprised the two of you finally made it back to each other.  I never had a chance.”

“You seem rather calm about that.”  Joel shrugged.

“I’ve come to terms with it.  You’re a friend, so is she.  And of course Sylvie liked the two of you together much more than she liked the two of us together.  It was actually kind of awkward for a while.”  He paused.  “I figured the two of you would get back together after a while, especially since Zoe was so determined, but I didn’t figure I’d find out you two were at the kids stage already.”

“Not exactly part of the plan.”

“Ah, I see. Would that be why you arrived with an announcement instead of already being here to greet Candace's “Please stay in New York” party guests?”

“Yeah.”  He rubbed the back of his neck.  “Zoe and I haven’t quite figured out all the quirks yet.”

“Meaning she was running and you were chasing?”

“I guess you could put it that way.  This is a little awkward to talk to you about.”

“Zoe said the same thing a few months ago after she admitted she was in love with you.  Honestly, I’m fine with it, at least now I am.  But you two really do need to talk.”

 

~*~

 

When they arrived back at the apartment after their talk, it was silent as the rest of the guests had left and Candace herself had gone to bed. Zoe pulled him over the couch, sitting down next to him. There was so much they still needed to talk about, but a lot had already been covered. The smile on her face when she looked at him was a relief. Now that it was all out the table, It felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. She hadn’t left because she didn’t want him; she had left because she was afraid, just like he was.

“I’m glad you came,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around him and snuggling into his shoulder. Her voice had a tint of sleep in it. He looked at the clock on the wall behind her and noticed it was nearly two in the morning.

“Me too. I just couldn’t let you get away again without trying something.”

“Well, you finally figured out the right words.” And her response of ‘ _And that’s all I ever needed to hear, Wade Kinsella’_ replayed in his mind. He wasn’t sure he would ever forget that moment. They were finally on the same page, at the same time, and were actually telling that to each other. They had missed so many opportunities.

“Apparently so. Maybe it's time we get to bed though.” She frowned.

“My mom’s room is right next to mine,” she explained when she caught his expression. “It would be a little weird having a boy in my room.” He raised an eyebrow, and the corner of his mouth turned up in amusement.

“I’m pretty sure your mother knows, Zoe.”

“Still. Would you feel comfortable with Earl in the next room?” He wasn’t sure he would care, but Zoe seemed uncomfortable with the idea, and he didn’t want to push when they had just found a balance.

“I can stay out on the couch,” He offered. Zoe seemed torn between not wanting him to be uncomfortable and not wanting her mom to be uncomfortable. Personally he just hoped in the morning she would be up to going home. “Just need a pillow.”

She smiled softly and moved to stand up, yawning as she did so. She looked slightly embarrassed. He simply smiled in response. She didn’t need to hide that she was tired. It had been an emotional roller coaster of a week, it was late, and she was pregnant so that probably took more than usual amount of energy.

A few minutes later she returned from the hall with a pillow and a blanket. She handed to him in silence, softly smiling. After they got the couch situated for him he turned to wish her a good night. But she seemed to have other plans. When he turned to face her, she lifted herself up on her toes and kissed him before he had an opportunity to say a word. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. It wasn’t a kiss that was meant to lead to anything more. It was comforting, slow, and simple and the first kiss they had shared since that night at the gatehouse two months ago. It felt good to hold her in his arms again. To know that they were going to be together, for good this time god willing.

She pulled back slightly after a few minutes, and they stood there for a second, foreheads touching as they enjoyed being able to hold each other like that again.

“You are the love of my life too, Wade,” she said softly, opening her eyes to look up at him. “Never doubt that.” He was surprised at how much he had needed to hear that. He knew that she loved him. She had gone out of her way to show him that. But the simple vocal acknowledgement that he was as deep in her soul as she was in his meant everything.

“Night, Doc,” he said in response, kissing her once again. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Night, Wade.”

 

~*~

 

It turned out that the earliest they could catch a flight to Mobile was later the next day, and since neither one of them had packed much (She tossed a pillow at his head when he teased her about it. Who thought Zoe Hart could have reduced her luggage to a simple carry on), Zoe had decided to show Wade some of her City.

It was interesting to see. The city itself didn’t appeal to him. He’d never be the big city type, but he would have tried if it meant being with Zoe. He was just happy that when she said home nowadays she meant Bluebell. But he could tell she still had a soft spot for her hometown.

After Candace had returned with the bagels, and Zoe had eaten two and made sure he tried at least one, she had taken him to explore the town. It had been amusing watching her try to decide where to take him in the few hours they had left before they went home. In the end, after a quick stop at her favorite breakfast place, she took him to Central Park.

“I figured out of all of New York, you would like this the most,” she explained as they got out of the cab. She held out her hand and when he took it interwove her fingers with his.  The weather was still a bit warm considering it was mid-October, but he wasn’t going to complain.  The sounds of the city were slightly muted as they walked down the pathways into the center of the park.

“We’ll have to bring her up here sometime, when she’s older.”  Zoe stated, wrapping her free arm around his elbow.

“She?”  He finally asked, after figuring she was talking about the baby.

“Well, nothing is set in stone, but I have the feeling it's a she.”  He tried to imagine what a baby girl would look like.  The image in his head was mostly a small version of Zoe.  He could deal with that, he thought. Although hopefully she’d be a bit more interesting in fishing or fixing up old cars, because he wasn’t sure what else he could teach the kid.  He had a few fond memories of before his mom died of sitting outside with his dad while Earl worked on the car.  And one memory, right before she got real sick, where they all went down to the pond to fish.  His mom had sat back a few feet, a thick novel in her hands.  Jesse had caught a fish, and Wade had caught one himself.  He remembers showing it to her and her smiling and praising him for such a large fish.  It really hadn’t been, but he had been 8, and so proud to have finally caught one.  Earl had patted him on the shoulder and in general it had just been a good day.

“I’m sure her grandma will insist on it.”

“I should probably tell you she insists we not call her that.”  Zoe said, smiling up at him. “I’m not sure what she expects as an alternative but I was told under no uncertain terms that she will never be Grandma.”

“Nana?”

“Grammy?”  Zoe said with a laugh.  “You are right, Nana probably works better.”

“Earl is already trying out names.”

“Earl knows?”

“Yeah...um, he’s kinda the one who inspired the proposal idea. He figured it would be the best way to show I’m all in.”

“That’s sweet, I think,” Zoe said with a raised eyebrow.  “What does he want to be called?”

“Well, it seems to be between Grandpa and Gramps.  He was really happy about it.”

“I’m glad. Actually, I was surprised my mom was as accepting as she was.  She seemed to be coming to terms with the fact that I’m calling Bluebell my home now.  Not that she didn’t try at least once to convince me to move up here.”

“Unsuccessfully, I hope.”

“I was always coming back, Wade.  Bluebell is home now.  Even if we hadn’t ended up making up, I would have come home.  And you would have been a part of our child’s life.  I just...couldn’t have you proposing just because I was pregnant.”

By this time they had stopped their walking, moving off to the side to get out of the way of passing people.  

“It wasn’t just because, you know that right?”

“Yeah, but it would have felt like it and I think I would have always wondered a little bit.”  He could still see that future he had pictured.  The small wedding on the Plantation, probably officiated by Lavon since he wasn’t that religious, and he wasn’t quite sure where Zoe stood on things.

“You should know that Brick tried to convince me it was a good idea.”  Zoe continued with a smile.  “He’s probably still trying to come up with happy examples for me to hear.”

“Good to know I have the blessing of Brick.”  And while he knew that it was best that they hadn’t gotten engaged, a part of him wished Brick had been successful.  “I’m also glad your mom seems to approve now.”

“She probably still hopes she’ll convince us to move to New York, but she’s been remarkably good at allowing me to make my own choices lately.”  Zoe frowned for a second.  “I still need to tell Dad.”

“Things still good between you two?”

“I suppose. We talk every once and awhile, mostly email.  It's not the father-daughter relationship I wanted, but its better then what I had before.”  She smiled sadly.  “I don’t think he’s going to be as hands-on as Earl probably will be.”

“That’s okay.  I doubt our kid is going to lack for adults willing to spoil it. Especially Uncle Lavon.”

“I bet Lavon already has been looking up Alabama gear for newborns.”

“Definitely. Probably should make sure he doesn’t end up dressing the kid up like the Jammer for the Founder’s Parade.”

“No, that’d be cute.  Especially considering that was my first big Blue-Bell event.  Hard to believe that was three years ago.  So much has changed, even me.”  She squeezed his hand.  “We are certainly different.”

“Well, I don’t have to worry about you tossing me for George anymore.”

“You never really did, you know.”

“Really?  You don’t think you would have chosen George if we had gotten together that first year?”

“Honestly, I don’t know for certain.  I was in a different place back then.  But hindsight has told me that most of my feelings for George were brought on by the fact he reminded me of here.”  She looked around her.  “And here was my comfort zone.  Bluebell wasn’t.  Not yet.”

“Is it now?”

“Its home. Like I said, I was always coming back.  It would have been difficult doing things by myself, but I would have come back to do them.”

“I would have been involved.”

“I know.”  She led them over to a bench.  “I wasn’t sure how involved you would want to get, considering how things were between us, but I knew you would never be like my Dad.”  She looked away, and he knew she was thinking about her and Ethan’s relationship and its pitfalls.  “I still really understand how I could be his child for twelve years and then suddenly it was like it didn’t matter, but I suppose he’s trying now.”

“Maybe he’ll end up being a better Grandfather.”

“Maybe.”  She laid her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her and the two of them enjoyed the almost-quiet that the park allowed them.  “Did you tell Earl about the proposal not happening?”

“Ah...not exactly.”

“Wade...”

“It's just he seemed so excited about the idea.  He gave me mom’s ring, and you know he’s been calling you his daughter-in-law since the moment I first spoke the word Zoe, so he’s going to be a little disappointed.”

“He should be happy enough that despite that we managed to figure things out.”

“I’m sure he is.”  It was hard to forget how upset Earl had been when he found out they had broken up.  He still didn’t know exactly what had kept him from telling his father that Zoe had moved on.  Perhaps it was the discussion that would occur afterwards.

“What about your brother?”

“Jess?”

“You have another brother you seldom talk about?”

“No.  To be honest, I haven’t heard anything from Jesse since George’s ill-fated bachelor party.”

“Such fond memories.”  He had to laugh at her sarcasm.  It had probably been the worst bachelor party ever and just a setup for the most awkward weeks ahead. And honestly, Tom Long nearly killing everyone was actually the light part of the evening. “You really should call him,” she said turning serious.  “He should know he is going to have a niece or nephew.”

She was right of course. Things weren’t good between them, but he knew he should try.  After all, Jesse was their kid’s only Uncle, at least biologically.  Wade had no misconceptions that Lavon and George weren’t going to take Uncle Duty seriously to this kid.  But he needed to patch things up with his brother. It had been nearly two decades now since Jesse left. Someone needed to make a step towards making things better.  Jesse had tried that weekend of George’s bachelor party, and Wade had ignored it.  Mostly because he was still angry that Jesse had gotten Earl a car when he should have known better and also because seeing Jesse with Zoe had made even him angrier.

He could admit that now.  He couldn’t then, because well, he was really bad at admitting what was really the problem.  It had taken time but he had come to realize that a lot of his preconceptions about Zoe at the time were influenced by his own estimation of himself.  

Hard to imagine that slightly over two years later he was sitting in Central Park about to have a child with her.  Hell, back during that time he hadn’t even considered long term, just wanted a date.  

“I’ll call him when we get home.”  It felt nice to say that, to know she was coming back this time.  No five month layovers or emails he pretended he never got.

 

~*~

 

It really didn’t set in till they were on their way home.  Thankfully Lavon had driven him to the airport, so only Zoe’s car had to be driven back home.  It was a peaceful ride, both stuck in their thoughts.  It was only when they started down Miller’s road that Wade made the realization he didn’t know where they would end up.

He really didn’t want to go to his place.  At least not alone.  After everything that had happened that week, and the 8 weeks of missing her presence in his life, he didn’t want to let her out of his sight.  But on the other hand, Zoe might appreciate some time alone after the way he kind of panicked on her. And there were so many things they hadn’t talked about.  Would they keep it to themselves or tell everyone they were back together?  Would they live together or take it a bit slower and live in separate places.  That would get a bit awkward once the baby came, but he couldn’t say living together would be the better option.

Despite how easy things had been back in New York, they would still have to deal with things here in Alabama and it wouldn’t be easy.  They’d have to consider not only what was right for them, but what was right for their kid.  Wade could feel himself starting to panic again, but then Zoe’s hand slipped into his overtop of the cup holders and she gave him a smile as if she knew.

She had always had a good track record of figuring out what he was feeling, except perhaps what he felt for her.  That had been her blind spot.  Granted, perhaps his go-to of pretending not to give a crap had been just a bit too believable.  But when it didn’t involve her she had been as good as Lemon in figuring out things.

“We are going to have to remodel the house again, aren’t we,” she said as they started to pull near their homes.  “Or find somewhere else.”

“Probably,” he responded, squeezing her hand before shift the car to the right to pull up before her cottage house. He didn’t really want to move from their little niche, but she was right.  Neither of their places was particularly built for families.   “But we have time for that.”

They had all the time they wanted now.


End file.
